


'cause your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Schmoop, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 03:07:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13091121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: Erik missed the boy who was his first kiss.Now that same boy - man - lives across the hall.What's a guy to do?





	'cause your crystal ball ain't so crystal clear

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gerec](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gerec/gifts).
  * In response to a prompt by [Gerec](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gerec/pseuds/Gerec) in the [secret_mutant_madness_2017](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/secret_mutant_madness_2017) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> University AU: “You kissed me on the playground the day before you moved away in the 4th grade and now your dorm is right across the hall from mine.”

Columbia was a bustling place for the first day; it was all starting to get to Erik. He had moved in as well as could be expected for being alone, but there were too many energetic people around for him.

Small mercies he had a single.

But, as he finished making his bed - after putting his computer and printer in working order - he opened the door into the hallway and spotted.

Charles.

Huh.

*

_eight years ago_

“I don’t want you to leave,” Erik said, eyes watering as he looked at Charles surrounded by all the other kids leaving for the day.

“I don’t have a choice; Father has a job in London.”

Erik sniffled. “But--”

Charles kissed him. A quick kiss, just as Charles’ car pulled up to take him all the way to England.

*

“Charles?” Erik asked. “Charles Xavier.”

The man across from him looked up - shocked - and smiled. “Oh my, Erik!” 

“I never would have guessed,” Erik said.

“Well, it appears as if your wish from 4th grade has been granted. Only later.”

Erik blushed, couldn’t form any words. “Umm--”

“Let’s just see what happens,” Charles said, looking back into his room as if something else had captured his attention.

Erik wanted to say something else, but he was still shocked, and a little confused by what could happen.

*

Erik had thought of Charles far too often after Charles left New York. He wanted to talk to his friend - to ask more of what that kiss meant - but Erik’s mother had refused to let Erik get an email address to talk to Charles.

Calling across the Atlantic was out of the question.

But now that Charles was across the hall, Erik had no clue what to do.

Did he pursue Charles? Did he let whatever happened with them fall through the cracks and forget it?

Rather than answer those, Erik just kept his door closed and tried to avoid Charles all together.

*

Erik chose to ignore Charles as much as possible, which just caused Charles to being more insistent.

It was notes on Erik’s whiteboard, then it was notes under the door and finally an email:

_Erik--_

_I know we haven’t talked in years, but I like you._

_That kiss was what made me realize it, especially when we couldn’t talk after that._

_If you’re not interested, let me know and I’ll stop this, but I think you like me too._

_Charles_

Erik read the email again and again - in part because he didn’t have the heart to delete it - but it made him think about what he’d been doing so far.

Sure, finding your ten-year-old self’s first crush was one thing, but to ignore him now because Erik couldn’t process his emotions. That was just stupid.

Erik stood up, opened his door, determined to tell Charles exactly what he wanted to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to {redacted} for the beta.
> 
> Title from a line in Sabotage by The Beastie Boys


End file.
